The NUIST Climate College network spans 9 colleges across 7 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe.

What is the Climate College?

The Climate College is a flagship international education and research platform launched by Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) in 2024. Built together with partner universities in climate-vulnerable regions, each Climate College is a jointly operated entity that integrates degree education, professional training, joint research and academic exchange — cultivating the local talent that countries need to anticipate, adapt to and respond to climate change.

As a 'Double First-Class' university in atmospheric sciences, NUIST initiated the Climate College under its “NUIST+” international cooperation model, aligning the university’s top-ranked discipline with the capacity-building priorities of Belt and Road partner countries and the Global South.

Our Mission

• Cultivate interdisciplinary climate talent — from atmospheric science and hydrology to AI and disaster-risk management — for partner countries;

• Train meteorological and hydrological professionals through practice-oriented, modular programmes;

• Co-produce research on the climate challenges that matter most locally: drought, floods, food security, urban air quality and early warning;

• Share China’s meteorological knowledge, technology and educational standards as global public goods.

Our Vision

By 2030, NUIST aims to grow the Climate College into a standardised, replicable model of climate education cooperation — expanding towards South Asia and Central & Eastern Europe, deepening joint research on regional challenges such as Aral Sea restoration, and contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and global climate governance.

A Strong Foundation

The Climate College builds on NUIST’s unique international assets:

• WMO Regional Training Centre, Nanjing (est. 1993) — over 8,000 senior meteorological and hydrological professionals trained for more than 160 countries and regions; 14 alumni have become directors of national meteorological services or Permanent Representatives to the WMO;

• The only university in China holding IPCC observer status, contributing to the Seventh Assessment Report cycle;

• Home to the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee Training Centre and a founding member of the International Association of Meteorological Education and Sciences (IAMES).

How We Work Together

Every Climate College operates on a 'four-joint' framework: joint disciplines, joint talent cultivation, joint research and joint resource sharing, with faculty and facilities committed by both partners.